sanctioned payment

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "sanctioned payment" is correct and usable in written English.
It can be used in contexts where a payment has been officially approved or authorized, often in legal or financial discussions. Example: "The company issued a sanctioned payment to the contractor after the completion of the project."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

1 human-written examples

It is untrue that News of the World executives knowingly sanctioned payment for illegal phone intercepts.

The New York Times

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

59 human-written examples

The authorities are investigating whether executives at the News of the World sanctioned payments to police officers to secure exclusive stories.

The Guardian - Tech

It also means that, having recruited Louis Saha, Alan Smith and Gabriel Heinze, United have sanctioned payments in the region of £3.5m in agent fees since the turn of the year - more than Sir Alex Ferguson has earned himself.

The Guardian - Sport

Coulson was also told that the Crown Prosecution Service had decided to go ahead with a possible retrial over corruption charges arising from allegations that he sanctioned payments to a police officer for confidential royal phone directories.

The Guardian

The Guardian has a profile of the attacker, Jonathan May-Bowles, who blogs — and video blogs — as Jonnie Marbles During her testimony later in the day, Rebekah Brooks, a former editor of The News of the World, said that she had never sanctioned payments to police officers for information.

The New York Times

In other developments: Rebekah Brooks tells MPs News International had acted "quickly and decisively" when new evidence of hacking emerged and that she never sanctioned payments to police.

BBC

LONDON, Feb 27 (Reuters) - Rebekah Brooks, Rupert Murdoch's former British newspaper boss, told a London court on Thursday she had sanctioned payments to public officials but denied authorising illegal sums for which she is on trial.

Huffington Post

Asked by her defence lawyer on Thursday if she had ever sanctioned payments to public officials, something which is illegal, Brooks replied: "Yes, probably since I was deputy editor of the Sun... a handful of occasions, half a dozen".

Huffington Post

Andy Coulson, formerly editor of the News of the World, denied three charges – one of conspiring to hack phones and two of conspiring to commit misconduct in public office by sanctioning payments to public officials for confidential royal phone directories.

The Guardian

Which is interesting - although some may say it is implausible that any interpretation of the contract would sanction payments for tagging dead people.

BBC

The fees office raised concerns about her dry rot claim at the Southampton home, which her husband bought in 1988 and where he lived, but it sanctioned the payment, according to documents seen by the Telegraph.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "sanctioned payment" when you want to emphasize that a payment has been officially approved, especially in contexts involving legal, regulatory, or ethical considerations. For instance, when describing a payment authorized by a court or regulatory body.

Common error

Don't confuse "sanctioned payment" with a penalty or fine. "Sanctioned" here means authorized or approved, not penalized. Use it to describe officially permitted payments, not punishments.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "sanctioned payment" functions as a noun phrase, where "sanctioned" acts as an adjective modifying "payment". It specifies that the payment has received official approval or authorization. As Ludwig AI confirms, it denotes official approval.

Expression frequency: Rare

Frequent in

News & Media

33%

Formal & Business

33%

Science

34%

Less common in

Formal & Business

0%

News & Media

0%

Science

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "sanctioned payment" is a noun phrase indicating a payment that has been officially approved or authorized, as confirmed by Ludwig AI. It's grammatically correct but relatively rare in usage. Its primary function is to communicate the legitimacy and validity of a transaction, often within legal, regulatory, or financial discussions. Related phrases include "authorized disbursement" and "approved payment". A key writing tip is to use it to denote officially permitted payments, not penalties. The most common error is to misunderstand its meaning as a punishment. Predominantly found in News & Media and Formal & Business contexts, its register leans towards neutral to formal.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

authorized disbursement

Emphasizes the formal permission to release funds.

approved payment

Focuses on the act of officially endorsing the payment.

ratified payment

Suggests a formal confirmation or validation of a payment after it has been made.

endorsed payment

Highlights the backing or support given to a payment.

validated payment

Implies that the payment has been checked and confirmed as legitimate.

permitted payment

Stresses that the payment was allowed or not prohibited.

cleared payment

Indicates that the payment has passed through necessary checks and is ready.

accredited payment

Suggests the payment has been officially recognized or certified.

stipulated payment

Implies that the payment was required or specified by an agreement.

mandated payment

Emphasizes that the payment was ordered or required by law or regulation.

FAQs

How is "sanctioned payment" different from "authorized payment"?

While both terms indicate approval, "sanctioned payment" often implies a more formal or official endorsement, potentially involving legal or regulatory oversight. "Authorized payment" is a more generic term.

Can "sanctioned payment" refer to illegal activities?

No, "sanctioned payment" implies legitimacy and approval. Payments related to illegal activities would not be described as "sanctioned". The term suggests compliance with rules and regulations.

What are some alternatives to using "sanctioned payment" in a sentence?

Depending on the context, you can use alternatives like "approved payment", "authorized disbursement", or "permitted payment" to convey similar meanings.

In what contexts is it appropriate to use the term "sanctioned payment"?

It's appropriate in contexts where a payment has been formally approved or authorized, such as in legal documents, financial reports, or when discussing regulatory compliance. It emphasizes the official nature of the payment's approval.